Seismic and Energy Retrofit of Apartment Buildings through Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Blocks Infill Walls

Antonio Artino, Gianpiero Evola, Giuseppe Margani and Edoardo Michele Marino
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Antonio Artino: Architectural Engineer, via Nino Papaldo 11, 95030 Pedara, Italy
Gianpiero Evola: Department of Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI), University of Catania, viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Giuseppe Margani: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Catania, via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy
Edoardo Michele Marino: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture (DICAr), University of Catania, via S. Sofia 64, 95123 Catania, Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 14, 1-21

Abstract: All around the world, a huge amount of buildings have been built before the enforcement of specific codes for seismic resistance and energy efficiency. Particularly in Italy, over 74% of residential buildings were constructed before 1980, when only 25% of the territory was classified as seismic, and nearly 86% were built before 1991, when the first restrictive regulation on energy efficiency was issued. This means that most buildings need both seismic and energy renovation actions to improve their sustainability level. The proposed combined retrofit strategy for reinforced concrete framed buildings is based on the replacement of the external layer of double-leaf infill walls, made of hollow bricks, with high-performing AAC blocks: this solution can be implemented by operating mainly from the outside of the building, thus reducing occupants’ disruption during retrofitting. The generally neglected structural contribution of masonry infill panels is here considered using a recently developed macro-element modeling approach. The results suggest that, from a structural viewpoint, the proposed intervention involves the highest improvement at the damage limitation limit state, while lower upgrades are recorded at life safety limit state and near-collapse limit state. In regards to the energy issues, the energy demand can be reduced by 10% and 4% for heating and cooling, respectively, just by replacing the outer layer of blocks; further savings can be achieved through the application of a supplementary insulation layer.

Keywords: integrated design; sustainable building renovation; existing RC buildings; seismic safety; energy efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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